Posted on Monday, June 27th, 2011 at 1:16 pm

It’s summer time and that may mean that you are planning to take a few months to study abroad. For others, this may mean a relaxing break just in time to start anew for the next school year. If you plan to study abroad in the Fall or Spring semester, it is not too early to prepare for this once in a lifetime experience. Whether you plan to study in China, Britain, or Australia, you will want to do your research and make the most of your experience!

To keep you at your best, many students purchase a study abroad insurance that will cover them outside their home country in case of sickness or accident. Some schools may require you to enroll in their school’s insurance plans, while others may offer the option to purchase your own policy. In either case, it is important to make sure that you are properly insured when you are overseas. Students will need to contact their study abroad office to find out about their insurance requirements and details on their plan. Some school insurance policies only cover students during their program – but what happens if you come early or stay late? Some insurance policies are emergency-only, but what if you have a cold and you want to seek treatment? Perhaps your school’s plan only covers you in one country, but instead you are plan on spending your free time traveling to other countries?

Investigate your study abroad insurance and make sure that this is the proper plan for you. If your school does not offer insurance, or if coverage is limited, you may decide to purchase your own study abroad insurance plan. Many countries have a different health care system than what is offered in the US so it is important to read the plan benefits and see what travel assistance they offer included in the plan.

Posted by Jennifer Frankel

Jennifer is the International Director at International Student Insurance. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Florida where she holds a Masters in International Business and a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She has lived and worked abroad in Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica and England, and traveled extensively in South America, Europe and Asia.